AN AIRLINE that recently axed flights has warned Brits to expect more cancellations in the future.
Earlier this month, Norse Atlantic axed all its flights from London Gatwick to Los Angeles in America due to rising fuel prices.
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Norse Airways is warning travellers of more flight cancellations due to rising fuel costsCredit: Getty
And now the airline has warned of even more cancellations.
Eivind Roald, CEO of Norse Atlantic Airways, said to BBC Newsnight: “From our side we will continue flying from London Gatwick and from Athens and Rome this summer, we don’t have any plans to cancel more flights.
“When it comes to our competitors, I can’t really say, I assume you will see more cancellations coming, we often see it coming in short haul flights in Europe.
He also said that travellers “will see that things will be changed” including some companies’ “existence”.
The CEO then added that he was confident jet fuel prices would fall in six to nine months time.
Even though the airline hasn’t announced more cancellations yet, the London Gatwick to Los Angeles route was only introudced by the airline in 2023.
And at that time, it operated seven flights per week from London Gatwick to Los Angeles.
The route was due to re-start next month, but instead will be cancelled for the entire season until October.
As a result, Norse will only have four long-haul routes this summer, including London Gatwick to New York and London Gatwick to Orlando.
A number of other airlines have also made the decision to cancel some flights or increase prices.
For example, earlier this month KLM said it was axing 160 flights across Europe over the next month due to the fuel crisis.
Despite the airline not yet having a shortage of fuel, the cancellations will impact flights travelling to and from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.
Lufthansa also announced that its subsidiary airline CityLine is stopping all operations due to both the Iran War and recent strike action.
The airline would fly to Frankfurt and Munich from the UK.
As for long haul flights, Virgin Atlantic had raised the price of flights.
Those now travelling in economy have to pay an extra £50, those in premium economy have to pay an extra £180 and those in business class will need to pay an additional £360.
Sydney appeared on stage Diplo’s HonkyTonk during the 2026 Stagecoach Festival at Empire Polo ClubCredit: GettyThe Euphoria star handed out panties to fansCredit: GettyShe then crooned while performing a karaoke session with DiploCredit: XShe looked amazing as she almost spilled out of her tiny blue corsetCredit: X
The Euphoria star looked sensational as she handed out knickers while on stage.
Sydney’s baby blue corset dress looked as though it was held up by luck alone as she appeared on stage.
Fans were so shocked by Sydney’s appearance at the festival, with many overjoyed to see her on stage.
After handing out panties from her SYRN lingerie line, she and Diplo took part in a fun karaoke session
A video of Sweeney and Diplo was posted via the underwear brand’s Instagram stories on Saturday evening, with the caption: “@diplo Thanks for stopping by!!!”.
Fans rushed to the comments of the main post shared on SYRN’s Instagram reels, which showcased all of the famous guests who stopped by.
One fan said: “This whole look, I am in love.”
While another added: “The people’s princess.”
And a third wrote: “She’s too hot, it’s almost uncomfortable.”
Meanwhile, since the footage of Sydney made its way onto X, one person on the platform penned: “Love it. Love how she doesn’t give 2 sh*t’s about her haters and living her absolute best life with no apologies needed!!!”
“I love her so much,” said a second.
“She owns the damn place. She can do whatever the F she wants,” wrote a third.
“She looks stunning and she also looks happy and free. Haters gonna hate,” chimed a fourth.
While a fifth said: “Sydney is an ALL AMERICAN BADDIE!!”
“I love sydneys outfit,” swooned a sixth.
And a seventh gushed: “Sydney Sweeney is literally perfect.”
This comes as Sydney continues to enrage fans with her portrayal of Cassie in Euphoria.
Sydney’s scenes in Euphoria season three have caused quite the stirCredit: HBOShe goes completely nude in several scenes across episode one and twoCredit: HBO
Events in Washington DC this weekend caught Brussels off guard as officials were enjoying the start of spring.
A 31-year-old man named as Cole Tomas Allen has been arrested after opening fire Saturday evening outside the reception hall of the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA gala), which Donald Trump was attending for the first time. The White House says it was a targeted attempt at the life of Trump and his officials.
Fortunately, no one was killed.
In Europe, EU leaders quickly voiced support for the US President, who had skipped the event for years before agreeing this time to attend, despite strained relations between the White House and the press corps under his second term.
“I just spoke to @POTUS Donald Trump to express my solidarity with him and @FLOTUS after the attempted attack,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X. She added that “political violence has no place in our democracies”.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “unacceptable”, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: “We decide by majorities, not by the gun.”
Transatlantic tensions briefly faded, even as Reuters reported the US could seek to suspend Spain from NATO over its refusal to back the US and Israel’s war in Iran.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez played down the threat and joined EU leaders in condemning the attack. “Violence is never the answer,” Sánchez wrote on X. “Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence and peace.”
On Sunday, Trump rejected any link between the armed intrusion at the WHCA dinner and the Middle East war. He said the incident would not “deter” him from “winning the war”.
Earlier in the weekend, Trump cancelled a trip to Pakistan planned for envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, writing on social media: “Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!” He added, referring to Iran: “There is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership’.”
On his side, after going to Oman and Pakistan over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi landed in Russia to meet Vladimir Putin.
According to the Iranian news agency Fars, Tehran has sent, via Pakistan, written messages to Washington regarding its “red lines” in the negotiations.
After talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Araghchi wrote on Telegram that he had briefed his French counterpart on ceasefire developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts “to end the imposed war”. He stressed “the importance of European countries playing a constructive role in this process”.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the situation remains fragile. Over the weekend, Israel and Hezbollah accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
The Shia Islamist political party and military organisation released several statements on Sunday saying its fighters targeted Israeli troops and positions in response to Israeli ceasefire violations and attacks on Lebanese villages.
On Sunday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a group of ministers and senior security officials to discuss both Iran and the situation in Lebanon, according to local media. One option under consideration is escalating strikes against Hezbollah, including targeting areas beyond southern Lebanon.
At least 2,509 people have been killed and 7,755 injured in Lebanon since the start of Israeli strikes in early March, the country’s health ministry said.
Lebanon’s Minister for Displaced Persons, and Technology and AI, Dr. Kamal Shehadi told Euronews’ Europe Today that “the truce is not holding” but there are “clear signs that both sides are making an effort” to avoid escalation beyond the current level of violence.
Shehadi said the government’s most important leverage to help disarm Hezbollah is having the vast majority of the Lebanese people backing them and calling for Hezbollah to surrender its weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
“The international community is supportive of Lebanon’s intention to control all the weapons on Lebanese territory. Now, that’s not enough, clearly, and so what we need to do is continue to put pressure on Hezbollah to get Hezbollah to accept and to relinquish its weapons, because the weapons today are only going to bring more retaliation from Israel,” Shehadi said. Watch the full interview here.
Meanwhile, Brussels is preparing for the visit of Péter Magyar, whose opposition party won Hungary’s 12 April election.
“I will travel to Brussels on Wednesday for informal talks with the President of the European Commission on unlocking EU funds,” he wrote on X. “We have no time to waste.”
A honeymoon now begins between Budapest and Brussels after 16 years of tension under outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who announced on Saturday he won’t take up his seat in parliament after his Fidesz party suffered a heavy loss in the 12 April vote.
Meanwhile, incoming Prime Minister Magyar said on Saturday he had information that wealthy figures linked to Orbán’s outgoing government were moving assets abroad and called on authorities to detain fleeing oligarch families.
“I am aware that Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV), based on reports from banks, has suspended several high-value transfers linked to Antal Rogán’s circle on suspicion of money laundering. I call on the leadership of NAV to immediately freeze these stolen funds,” Magyar wrote on X, referring to the outgoing top minister under Orbán’s administration.
On 40th Chernobyl disaster anniversary, Zelenskyy accuses Russia of committing ‘nuclear terrorism’
As Ukrainians marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of “nuclear terrorism”, alleging it repeatedly sends attack drones over the site.
On social media, Zelenskyy warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has once again pushed the world to “the brink of a man-made disaster”.
He also said drones now regularly fly over Chernobyl. “The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks.”
Russian strikes on Ukraine continued through the anniversary, with Moscow launching 144 drones in a barrage during the night between Saturday and Sunday.
Germany suspects Russia of Signal phishing attacks targeting politicians
The German government believes Russia is behind a new phishing campaign targeting lawmakers and senior officials via the Signal messaging app.
The incident is the latest in Moscow’s hybrid war targeting Europe.
Victims are said to receive messages posing as Signal support, prompting them to enter a PIN, click a link or scan a QR code. If successful, the scam gives hackers access to messages, group chats, and any photos or files shared by the user.
Media reports say at least 300 accounts belonging to political figures were compromised. Civil servants, diplomats, military personnel and journalists were also targeted.
Vice-President Andrea Lindholz (CSU) has ruled out banning Signal, saying MPs should be free to decide how they communicate.
You can read the story of Sonja Issel & Evelyn Ann-Marie Domhere.
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Today we are also keeping an eye on
– European Parliament plenary session kicks off in Strasbourg. A debate on the “Importance of consent-based rape legislation in the EU” is scheduled later today.
Sophia Wilson scored in stoppage time for her first goal of the season and the Portland Thorns defeated Angel City 2-1 on Sunday.
After a scoreless first half at BMO Stadium, Pietra Tordin’s header opened up the scoring for the Thorns (4-1-1) in the 76th minute. In her professional soccer debut, rookie defender Carolyn Calzada provided the assist.
Wilson doubled the lead in stoppage time with a left-footed blast into the side netting. It was her first goal of the season after taking all of last year off for the birth of her daughter. Her last goal for the Thorns came on Nov. 1, 2024.
Second-half substitute, forward Prisca Chilufya trimmed the lead in half in the final minute of stoppage time for Angel City.
Japan International Jun Endo made her return from injury as a substitute in the 62nd minute for Angel City (3-2-0).
Chinguetti, Mauritania – Bookkeeper Muhammad Gholam el-Habot gently pulled a pair of white gloves onto his slender hands and set about his routine in his high-ceilinged, cool library lined with steel bookshelves.
He opened a thick manuscript printed in Arabic. After leafing through its brown and frail pages, looking for damage, el-Habot closed the book with a satisfied thud, rubbed his fingers over the wrinkled leather cover, and carefully placed it in a white cardboard box.
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“These books are very important to my family and me,” the librarian said, as the midday sunlight spilled in through open wooden doors. He spoke in Hassaniya Arabic, the dialect spoken in Mauritania, his voice low, his sentences halting and poetic. Fat flies buzzed around his long oval face as he worked.
“My relationship with them is like that of a father and his son,” he continued. “We must protect them until God takes the land and all the people who are on the land.”
The el-Habot family library is only one of a handful of its kind still operating in Chinguetti, a medieval fortress town or ksar in Mauritania’s northern Adrar region. Once a centre of commerce and Islamic learning between the 13th and 17th centuries, it is now largely abandoned as, over the decades, locals have sought opportunities in bigger cities.
A view of the old town of Chinguetti, which follows typical Moorish structures with a mosque at the centre [Shola Lawal/Al Jazeera]
Chinguetti is also at the mercy of a changing climate.
Mauritania, in northwest Africa, is 90 percent Sahara desert and has faced desertification for centuries. Now, human-induced climate change is an accelerant. Sand and flash storms occur more frequently, while extreme hot or cold seasons last longer than usual.
Those pressures are a “big deal” for precious books, said Andrew Bishop, a researcher at the University of Wyoming studying climate impacts on Saharan cultures.
“Extreme heat and less predictable rainfall patterns means that texts are increasingly damaged by water or heat, making many manuscripts beyond repair. More than that, the mud libraries themselves are not built for sudden rain and longer summer of over 40 degrees (Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit),” he told Al Jazeera.
Many of Chinguetti’s 4,500 residents now live in cement buildings outside the original confines of the abandoned ksar, built out of dry stone and red mudbrick. There are fears that the entire area, which is about 500 square kilometres (200 square miles) – about the size of Prague – is at risk of being buried by surrounding sand dunes in the long run, although there is not a clear timeline yet.
Rare manuscripts shown in one of Chinguetti’s last libraries [Logan Stayton/University of Wyoming]
Islam’s ‘seventh holiest city’
El-Habot did not always want to be a bookkeeper.
But when his father grew sick in 2002, he took over the approximately 1,400 manuscripts out of obligation. It was an honour in his culture to be selected, he said.
It would be out of the question now, the 50-year-old librarian said. He imagines that his two sons would reject the duty, as many of their peers have left to explore economic opportunities in the capital city, Nouakchott, or elsewhere.
“This is something that we have to do; it is a family obligation,” el-Habot said, with a bewildered expression. “This is not even a question to be asked.”
The family manuscripts are sacred because they are rare. The bookkeeper’s ancestor, Sidi Mohamed Ould Habot, was one of about two dozen Chinguetti scholars who travelled around the Muslim world between the 18th and 19th centuries, from Egypt to Andalusia, in search of knowledge.
Between them, the scholars amassed a vast fortune of about 6,000 scripts. They covered almost every topic: Islamic jurisprudence, the hadith or teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, mathematics, medicine, and poetry. Some of the works came from the scholars themselves, including the older el-Habot, who wrote about the science of poems.
The books were stored in about 30 libraries in Chinguetti, open to people from all over the world.
At the time, the town was famous because of its location at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade routes linking the Sahel and the Maghreb. Camel caravans guided by nomadic Berber traders transporting goods – mostly salt and gold – between northern Africa and the southern empires used the city as a way station, transforming it into a commercial hub.
Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca on foot or camel would gather in Chinguetti and prepare themselves spiritually and mentally for their long, difficult journey before heading on to Cairo. Islamic and scientific texts were exchanged, bought and sold in the town.
In West African lore, Chinguetti was referred to as Islam’s seventh holiest city. Others nicknamed it the “Sorbonne of the Sahara”, according to UNESCO.
Some of the old texts stored in the el-Habot family library. The family has a total of about 1,400 books in its care [Logan Stayton/University of Wyoming]
Generation after generation managed the libraries. Over time, as the caravan trade declined due to new European sea routes, the old town emptied and several libraries closed.
“Chinguetti was the mother of all people,” el-Habot said, referring to the town’s old status as the main capital of the region. Indeed, the area now known as Mauritania was called “Bilad Shinqit” or Land of Chinguetti. In the local Soninke language, it translates to “spring of horses”.
“People had to go because they wanted to feed themselves, get education for their kids, and get better opportunities for themselves too,” el-Habot said, adding that there were no universities close by, and only a handful of primary and middle schools.
Some within his family have moved on, as well, the bookkeeper said. Those, like him, who stayed back, wanted to respect their ancestor’s three wishes.
“His wishes were that the library stay in Chinguetti, that it should be open to all seekers of knowledge, and that a male descendant of his who is religious and morally upright be the bookkeeper,” el-Habot explained. Not following those instructions, he said, could invite God’s anger.
Chinguetti’s decline is largely due to the lack of support for its traditional lifestyle, Bishop said. Annual rainfall in Mauritania has decreased by 35 percent since 1970, making it harder for herders to graze or for date palms to produce fruit.
In 1996, UNESCO granted Chinguetti and three other Mauritanian ksour World Heritage Status, cementing their rich legacy. The few people still living in the old town are allowed to renovate but only minimally, to keep its original stone architecture and the typical Moorish structuring where houses are lined up along narrow alleys that lead to a mosque with a square minaret.
Just outside Chinguetti are the excavated ruins of Abweir, a town of 25,000 believed to have been founded in 777 AD, and believed to be the “original” Chinguetti. Its residents moved from the settlement, locals believe, in 1264 – likely after a conflict. Over time, the area was completely swallowed by sand.
Bookkeeper el-Habot stands inside the family library on a recent weekday [Shola Lawal]
Saving the manuscripts
El-Habot’s job, while enjoyable much of the time, is also taxing, he admitted.
Preserving old books by reprinting or digitising the most worn-out manuscripts before they become unreadable is a costly process. He often needs chemicals to keep away book-eating insects and has to fund more suitable storage.
Then, there is the weather, which is out of his control. Mauritania swelters in the dry season between April and December, and is bitingly cold in the winter months that follow. Old pages are sensitive to both extremes and can become brittle, el-Habot said. Sometimes, when it is really hot, he places buckets of water around the library hall to spur humidity.
Flash floods, meanwhile, threaten water damage.
An excavated mosque of Abweir, just outside Chinguetti, stands next to a sand dune. The settlement was believed to be the ‘original’ Chinguetti before residents moved for unclear reasons [Shola Lawal/Al Jazeera]
Visitors to the library usually pay a small fee, but tourist numbers dropped drastically across Mauritania in the mid-2000s, when armed groups attacked foreigners. The COVID-19 pandemic also reduced the flow of travellers.
Mauritania has since clamped down on violence. Tourists are slowly coming back, el-Habot said, and some of the locals who left have also returned.
In 2024, a $100,000 UNESCO restoration project provided air-conditioning units, computers and printers, as well as shelving units and storage boxes to 13 family libraries to stimulate the sector. But most libraries remain closed, their texts scattered among members. The lack of capacity of young people who are not as interested in preserving Chinguetti’s culture will continue to pose a challenge, Bishop said.
A section of old Chinguetti shows the stone masonry used at the time [Shola Lawal/Al Jazeera]
Back in the library, el-Habot continued working, his thin frame bent over his manuscripts. He opened one book and pointed excitedly at its pages: They depicted the moon in its luteal phases, and an eclipse. A third page showed the holy cities of Mecca and Madina.
“I have to protect this heritage,” el-Habot said in his low voice. “As mine, and also for all of humanity.”
Tourists in Tenerife were recently taken aback when they looked up from their sunbeds to be met with an unexpected sight. Many couldn’t believe their eyes due to what they saw
09:08, 27 Apr 2026Updated 09:08, 27 Apr 2026
Tourists in Tenerife were taken aback by what they saw (stock image)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Tourists in Tenerife recently witnessed an unexpected sight after looking up from their sunbeds, and it comes after people have encountered unlikely experiences at the destination. Many tourists jet off to the Canary Islands hotspot in hope of catching a tan and having a much-needed rest but some admitted they were faced with a rather different holiday lately.
It was brought to people’s attention by a man known as Sam T, who claimed the weather in Tenerife is very “deceiving”. After he posted footage from his sunbed, looking up at the sky, it got many people talking about how their holidays have been impacted by the same surprising factor.
Lying on his sunbed, Sam was hoping to get some sun on his skin, but it looks as though mother nature had other ideas. As he filmed up towards the sky, you could see the blue sky was gradually clouding over and turning grey.
It also sounds like there may have been a bit of thunder and lightning too. The footage quickly got people talking, as they were keen to share what their own experiences at the destination have been like.
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One said: “I just don’t get the hype with the Canaries. Beaches ain’t pretty and there’s always so much cloud.”
Another wrote: “Been here since the 19th and it’s been so inconsistent. It’s cloudy then a bit of sun. Rubbish really.”
A third replied: “The weather sucks. No sunshine, clouds always around the mountains. Five more days then I go home.
“Never ever coming back. I’ll try to leave earlier. Biggest disappointment of this year.”
Even though Sam admitted it’s been hot during his stay, he noted it’s been “overcast a lot of the time”. He also admitted he’s visited a few times in the past, but this was the first time he’s experienced so much cloud.
Someone else wrote: “I was here 15th to 22nd and had lush weather!” Another responded: “Still absolutely boiling though.”
One more also noted: “Been here since 18th April. It’s been mid 20s every day – been scorching.”
What people need to know
Generally, Tenerife is not considered a cloudy island overall, but it has distinct microclimates. The north is greener and often cloudier, while the south is consistently sunny and warm.
Clouds commonly form over the central mountains, and occasionally spill over to coastal areas, particularly from September to May. However, it’s also been noted the weather in parts of the Canary Islands has been worse than usual this year.
During early 2026, Tenerife experienced significant, unseasonably bad weather, which has been described as some of the worst in over a decade. March was particularly impacted by Storm Therese, which brought heavy rain, high winds, flash flooding and rare snowfall at high altitudes.
It also led to travel disruption and flight cancellations. This is why people have been talking so much about the weather there recently.
Another episode of the popular show is set to air tonight (April 27)
The BBC programme has been dubbed the “best”(Image: Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
The BBC’s “best” programme that grips viewers will return to television screens, and it’s coming sooner than you think.
Scam Interceptors is a crime documentary series that first aired on BBC One in 2022, spanning across five series. Hosted by Rav Wilding, each instalment follows experts as they monitor and often intervene in real life fraud to prevent victims losing money.
Viewers will also be able to get their Scam Interceptors fix tonight (April 27) as a chilling episode will be airing at 8.30pm on BBC One. Despite being a repeat episode, the instalment, titled ‘I’ve been scammed 11 times’ will feature a “high octane chase” as well as calls against scammers that are “plaguing lives”.
An official synopsis reads: “Rav Wilding and Nick Stapleton are back, working with ethical hacker Jim Browning to call out the scammers plaguing our lives and prevent people from losing their money.
“In this episode, the team are in a high-octane chase to intercept scammers claiming to be from Sky broadband. They have full access to a woman’s mobile and are only seconds away from transferring her cash. But the scammers are on to us and want answers.”
With a focus on preventing members of the public from falling victim to scams and losing money, the series also aims to expose, intercept and stop scams in real time.
Over the years, the series has become a huge success with viewers as one IMDb user described it as being “Superb, Gripping Public Service Television.” Another said: “You cant beat this show”, adding: “The best show on tv hands down. Suspense and action.”
Over on Instagram, one viewer said: “I think this program is fab but it scares the bejesus out of me to watch it!” Another wrote: “Oh wow. Just got this on my IG page. I didn’t know there was a show doing this. I definitely am going to watch full episodes.”
A third commented: “Absolutely gripping television at its best. The very best by the BBC”, as a fourth added: “This was a great programme!”
Viewers on X also praised the programme as one person wrote: “This show stresses me out #scaminterceptors.” Another said: “Another heart-stopping episode. #ScamInterceptors.”
Every episode of the hit BBC documentary series is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Scam Interceptors will air tonight at 8.30pm on BBC One. All episodes are also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Germany’s Dax, France’s CAC 40, Italy’s FTSE MIB and the UK’s FTSE 100 are expected to open in the green, according to IG data, despite peace talks between the US and Iran coming to a halt.
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The White House called off plans to send envoys to Pakistan for more negotiations and US President Donald Trump cited a lack of progress over the weekend.
“If they want, we can talk but we’re not sending people,” Trump told Fox News on Sunday. He said earlier on social media: “All they have to do is call!!!”
In addition to monitoring progress in the Middle East, investors will also be keeping across central bank decisions this week, including from the ECB and Federal Reserve.
Asia-Pacific markets mixed
Meanwhile, markets were mixed overnight in the Asia-Pacific region. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index hit a fresh record, surging 1.4% to 60,564.18. The Kospi in South Korea jumped 2.1% to 6,617.94. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index edged 0.1% lower to 25,951.86 and the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.2% at 4,089.04. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.3% to 8,759.40.
Taiwan’s Taiex rallied 2.6%, helped by a revival of buying of tech shares driven by the boom in artificial intelligence.
Oil prices rise again
In other dealings early Monday, the price for a barrel of Brent crude to be delivered in July, rose $1.44 to $100.57, while US benchmark crude oil added $1.28 to $95.65.
The dollar fell to 159.34 Japanese yen from 159.59. The euro climbed to $1.1723 from $1.1701.
Supporters of a billionaire tax said Sunday that they had gathered nearly twice as many signatures as necessary to qualify the controversial proposal for the November ballot.
Opponents of the proposal argue that it already has driven wealthy Californians — crucial to funding the state’s volatile budget — to other parts of the nation. Advocates, however, say the proposed tax is critical to compensate for federal healthcare funding cuts that will harm the state’s most vulnerable residents.
“Most Californians and most billionaires recognize how reasonable and necessary this proposal is — both to keep emergency rooms open and to save California businesses from closing,” said Suzanne Jimenez, the chief of staff of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the chief proponent of the effort. “A very small group of the most controversial billionaires on the planet tried to stop” this effort, she added, but when “our growing coalition files these signatures, David will have won the first round against Goliath.”
The union, which represents more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients and consumers, launched the effort to counter massive healthcare funding cuts that President Trump signed last year. The California Budget & Policy Center estimated that as many as 3.4 million Californians could lose Medi-Cal coverage, rural hospitals could shutter, and other healthcare services would be slashed unless new funding was found.
The proposal would impose a one-time tax of up to 5% on taxpayers and trusts with assets valued at more than $1 billion, with some exclusions, such as property. The levy could be paid over five years. Ninety percent of the revenue would fund healthcare programs, and the remaining funds would be spent on food assistance and education programs. The proposal would cost the state’s richest residents about $100 billion if a majority of voters support it.
Supporters need to submit the signatures of nearly 875,000 registered voters to county elections officials by June 24. They say they have gathered nearly 1.6 million signatures.
Opponents of the measure, which has divided liberals — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) supports it while Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes it — said the proposal would destroy California’s economy and budget, while doing nothing to address the state’s underlying financial issues.
“This wealth tax would have a devastating impact on our economy, state budget, and the cost of living for all Californians,” said Rob Lapsley, president of the bipartisan California Business Roundtable. “The measure doesn’t do anything to reduce the state’s $35-billion-plus budget deficit and does nothing to address the decade of overspending that led to the structural deficit. In fact, because the state relies so heavily on high-income-earner tax revenue, this measure could lead to reduced budget revenue in the long term as highly mobile wealthy individuals leave the state to avoid this new tax.”
He also argued that the proposal could result in higher taxes for all Californians.
“This is an everyone tax that is called a billionaire tax,” Lapsley said, “and we will ensure Californians understand the truth on the devastating consequences this initiative will have.”
HOUSTON — Deandre Ayton has a simple explanation for his first career ejection.
“We’re both sweaty guys,” the Lakers center said after his accidental elbow to the back of Alperen Sengun‘s head resulted in his ejection from Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
The Lakers center was assessed a flagrant foul 2 with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter of the 115-96 Game 4 loss. It “looked crazy on camera,” Ayton acknowledged, but it was not malicious.
Ayton said he was bracing for contact against the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Sengun and Ayton’s arm simply slipped off Sengun’s shoulder and hit his head. It didn’t affect Sengun at all: he finished with 19 points and six rebounds on six-of-12 shooting as the Rockets forced a Game 5 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PDT at Crypto.com Arena.
“I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or plays like that,” Ayton said. “If anything, me trying to play dirty, I’ll damn near hurt myself. I just hope he’s all right and they don’t think it was intentional.”
Sengun and Rockets coach Ime Udoka both said the flagrant 2 call — which characterizes an act as “unnecessary and excessive” — was “soft.” Sengun said he didn’t expect Ayton to be ejected for the play. When crew chief James Williams declared that Ayton would be sent off, the Lakers center simply dropped his head and walked to the locker room. Injured Rockets star Kevin Durant, who missed the game with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle, waved goodbye from the Rockets bench.
“We’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression,” Lakers guard Marcus Smart said. “He’s learning, he’s continuing — it probably would have been justifiable if he went off, right? But to keep his composure and stay positive, I think that’s only going to help him and this team.”
Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt (2) and Deandre Ayton (5) go up for a rebound against Houston forward Tari Eason during the first half Sunday.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It was the first time Ayton was ejected in his eight-year NBA career. The center, to the chagrin of many in the NBA, has long been known more for his finesse touch shots than physical play. Lakers coach JJ Redick called Ayton, “a sweet, just, like, kind soul.”
Lakers coaches and teammates have tried to encourage him to increase his intensity and aggressiveness. General manager Rob Pelinka even made a custom shirt with half of Ayton’s face next to the face of a lion.
Ayton answered the call Sunday with 19 points and 10 rebounds. He was one of the Lakers’ only forms of consistent offense in the blowout loss. Outside of Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who shot six for 10 with 13 points, the Lakers were shooting 31.3% from the field in the first three quarters. They trailed by as many as 26 points as Smart and LeBron James, veterans who led the team to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, looked worn down with Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) still sidelined.
“It’s been tough for DA,” said Smart, who had nine points, five assists and four turnovers. “We’ve been hard on him. He’s been hard on himself. You guys have been hard on him. … He’s been taking it, embracing it and trying to get better and better. Today he showed that. He came out, we relied on him a little bit more. He made plays for us.”
Ayton soon had company in the Lakers locker room after teammate Adou Thiero and Rockets guard Aaron Holiday were both ejected after receiving two technical fouls with 1:11 remaining in the fourth quarter. They got tangled up under the basket and exchanged words briefly.
Thiero, who entered the game midway through the fourth quarter when the Lakers cleared their bench, made a memorable playoff debut by scoring his first postseason basket with an emphatic alley-oop dunk over Dorian Finney-Smith. But the premature ending to his first postseason appearance was “uncalled for,” James said.
“It made no sense,” said James, who had 10 points and nine assists but eight turnovers. “… I don’t think that was warranted. Give him two technicals? The kid just got in the game.”
At the end of the physical game, players from both teams jawed back and forth at midcourt after the final buzzer. Much of the Lakers bench and some coaches approached to help diffuse the situation. Redick said he was simply poking his head into the situation the way people might turn their heads to gawk at commotion in a bar. When he determined nothing was happening, he left.
“Hilarious,” Smart said with a smirk of the postgame skirmish. “Very hilarious.”
North Korea held an inauguration ceremony for a memorial in Pyongyang to honor North Korean troops killed in Ukraine, state media reported Monday. In this photo, white balloons are released as a tribute to the fallen soldiers. Photo by KCNA/EPA
SEOUL, April 27 (UPI) — North Korea held an inauguration ceremony for a memorial museum honoring troops dispatched to fight for Russia in Ukraine, state media reported Monday, with leader Kim Jong Un pledging continued support for Moscow in its “sacred war.”
The ceremony took place Sunday at the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations in Pyongyang, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.
The event marked the first anniversary of what Pyongyang called the “liberation of Kursk,” referring to Russia’s battlefield gains in the war. North Korea declared Russia’s recapture of the region on April 26 last year.
North Korea has deepened military ties with Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Pyongyang has shipped thousands of containers of munitions and deployed about 15,000 troops to assist Russian forces in the Kursk region, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has said, estimating that roughly 2,000 of those troops had been killed.
In a speech at the ceremony, Kim highlighted the “strategic significance” of the operations in Kursk and described the North Korean soldiers’ actions as “without parallel in history.”
“No matter how the rules of war change or when and where a crisis arises, we must always be strengthened as a sincere, dedicated and powerful bulwark that deals with it with united strength,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
Several Russian officials attended the inauguration, including State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.
Volodin read a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin expressing gratitude for North Korean troops and praising the “militant friendship” between the two countries.
“The Korean soldiers, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Russian comrades-in-arms, displayed their extraordinary bravery and genuine devotion and glorified themselves with immortal honor,” the letter said.
After the speeches, officials cut a ribbon to formally open the complex, while white balloons were released into the sky in tribute to the fallen.
In a burial rite for repatriated remains, Kim covered a coffin with dirt as guards of honor fired a rifle salute and participants observed a moment of silence, KCNA said.
Kim also held separate meetings with Belousov and Volodin ahead of the inauguration, KCNA reported.
In talks with Kim, Belousov said the two sides had agreed to expand military cooperation on a “sustainable long-term basis,” with plans to sign a cooperation roadmap covering 2027 to 2031, according to a statement posted on the Russian Defense Ministry’s Telegram channel.
Kim reaffirmed that North Korea would “fully support” Russia’s war in Ukraine, KCNA said, describing it as a “sacred war” to defend sovereignty.
In exchange for its military assistance, Pyongyang is believed to be receiving much-needed financial support and advanced military technology. A March report by South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy estimated that North Korea may have earned up to $14.4 billion from its involvement in the war through arms sales, labor exports and related assistance.
The arrest is part of an ongoing counter terrorism investigation into a series of attacks on premises linked to the Jewish community in north west London, an attack on a Persian-language media organisation and the discovery of jars of a non-hazardous substance in Kensington Gardens.
Gemma Collins has doubled down on her opinion that David Haye and Jimmy Bullard’s behaviour was ‘disgusting’ in the live I’m A Celebrity final, which crowned Adam Thomas as Jungle Legend
07:17, 27 Apr 2026Updated 07:18, 27 Apr 2026
Jimmy Bullard, Gemma Collins and David Haye
The I’m A Celebrity fallout continues and Gemma Collins isn’t prepared to let it lie. The former Towie favourite is very much Team Adam in the feud between Adam Thomas, David Haye and Jimmy Bullard.
And she has once again hit out at the former sports stars, doubling down that their behaviour in the live final was “disgusting”. The GC reposted claims the duo had been kicked out of the live show and again took aim at the pair.
Referencing the alleged kicking out Gemma wrote: “Good job!” She went on: “Behaviour [sic] was disgusting for rest of cast the right move was made as we all felt so uncomfortable.”
The words echoed Gemma’s statement a day earlier as she once again raged at the pair’s antics. While Jimmy called Adam’s behaviour “intimidating” after the former Fulham player’s decision to quit the show almost cost Adam his place, David has been labelled a “bully”.
David admitted in his exit chat he may have taken the “banter” too far, but Adam says he actions left him “broken”. And Gemma firmly stuck up for her soap star pal.
Tristan then said: “Because someone was bullying Adam.” Gemma went on: “And it was hard to see wasn’t it?. And did it ruin our night? Upset us very much? And what has it taught us in life?
Tristan continued: “Never bully.” As she spoke to her fans, Gemma added: “Adam, it was really difficult to sit there and watch you go through that last night. It was disgusting. And what a shame because we all…I mean the jealousy is real.”
During the live show, Gemma stormed off stage as the heated arguments took place. Ant McPartlin, who initially had tried chatting to the trio about the events, even appeared agitated with how things were playing out.
Body language expert, Judi James, told the Mirror: “You could see the rigid, unhappy and blank poker faces of Gemma [Collins], Scarlett [Moffatt] and Ashley [Roberts] as the lead men continued to steal the spotlight by continuing their arguments during the live final. Gemma, Scarlett and Ashley looked drained and resigned here while the battle for screen time raged about them.”
She added: “When Gemma walked, Ant reached peak anger signals. Dec stopped mirroring him here and it was Ant taking total control as authoritative leader.
“His angry stare suggested this was not an act for the camera, and he stabbed both hands onto his own chest in a gesture that signalled he was in charge before engaging in a pointed finger ‘duel’ with Jimmy. There was one final, stabbing point gesture from Ant that should have warned Jimmy that he needed to stop.”
Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into overtime, and the Ducks pushed Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to the brink of first-round elimination with a 4-3 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night.
Jeffrey Viel tied it with 6:29 left in regulation for the Ducks, who rallied from an early two-goal deficit and another third-period hole before taking a 3-1 series lead with their third consecutive victory over the back-to-back Western Conference champion Oilers.
The Ducks won when Poehling’s sharp-angled shot trickled under Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry, who had played well in his first playoff start for his new team. An extensive video review revealed no reason to overturn the judgment on the ice that the puck had barely crossed the goal line underneath Jarry’s skate.
Game 5 is Tuesday night in Edmonton.
The Ducks celebrate their Game 4 victory.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
Cutter Gauthier and Mikael Granlund scored power-play goals in the second period for the Ducks, whose first playoff series in eight years has been an exciting demonstration of their revamped roster’s skill. Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots for the Ducks, which have scored 20 goals in four games against the Oilers.
Evan Bouchard scored a tiebreaking goal early in the third period and Jarry made 34 saves for the Oilers. Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored first-period goals.
Edmonton nearly won it late in regulation, but Dostal made a spectacular, sprawling pad save to deny McDavid on a late breakaway. The Oilers’ superstar center has a goal and two assists in the series.
April 27 (UPI) — The U.S. military has killed another three men in its latest attack targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific, U.S. Southern Command announced late Sunday.
It was the 54th strike in the Trump administration’s violent anti-drug smuggling campaign that has killed at least 185 people since early September, according to UPI’s tally of publicly released data. At least 57 boats have been destroyed in the attacks in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
SOUTHCOM has announced each strike on social media, accompanied by a short black-and-white aerial video of the attack, showing the boat erupting in flames.
On April 26, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/br2znnUM1x— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) April 27, 2026
As with the previous strikes, SOUTHCOM said in a statement that the boat it attacked Sunday “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”
The Trump administration claims the vessels are operated by 10 drug cartels and gangs that President Donald Trump has designated as terrorist organizations since returning to office, but has yet to provide evidence.
Trump argues the use of deadly force is warranted as the United States is in “armed conflict” with those organizations, but his administration has come under mounting accusations of conducting extrajudicial killings.
The strikes have been repeatedly condemned and their legality questioned by Democrats and human rights organizations, who accuse the Trump administration of violating international and maritime law by using the military to conduct law enforcement drug operations.
Ben Saul, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, chastised the Trump administration last month for “responding with lawless violence that flagrantly violates human rights, in its phony war on so-called narco-terrorism.”
The attacks are not permissible law enforcement action in self-defense, authorized under the law of the sea, in national self-defense or under international humanitarian law, he said.
On Thursday, 125 humanitarian, human rights, peacebuilding and other related organizations from around the world called on all states to “immediately cease or refrain from supporting U.S. extrajudicial killings.”
The letter warned that states could be held legally responsible for aiding or assisting the United States by sharing intelligence as well as providing access to military bases and logistical support with the U.S. military.
The groups argue that the consequences of these killings are being felt throughout the hemisphere.
“Families awaiting the return of their loved ones may never know what happened to them and have no access to recourse,” the organizations said in their open letter.
“Coastal communities have witnessed human remains washing up on shore and fear for their lives when they trade and fish, sowing psychological trauma and undermining livelihoods.”
As an Australian living in Italy, I grew up within an hour of some of the most pristine coastline in the world, so the Italian penchant for private beach clubs is something I’ll never quite grow accustomed to.
Along some of Italy’s most naturally beautiful stretches of beach, from the Amalfi Coast to the Cinque Terre, private, exclusive beach clubs and five-star hotels occupy the best patches of shoreline. The natural beauty that made these places famous can feel increasingly roped off.
In Australia, beaches are natural places to be shared. There’s a more relaxed approach to bathing along open stretches of sand framed by nothing but trees, rocks and dunes. For those seeking a back-to-nature holiday, here are six of Italy’s most beautiful free beaches where the coastline remains untouched and open to all.
Riviera del Conero, Marche
The Riviera del Conero is the Marche’s most precious jewel, in a region still largely unchanged by mass tourism. You’ll rarely hear any language other than Italian as it’s all locals and other Italians on their summer holidays.
Set against a stunning backdrop of limestone cliffs covered in pine trees, a series of protected bays with clear green-blue water and white pebbles make up this stretch of coastline within the Conero regional park.
Sirolo is a long, natural beach at the end of a meandering downhill walk through the trees. There’s plenty of space to lay down your towel on the smooth rocks, with the option of paid chairs and umbrellas, too.
Portonovo Bay offers low-key retro 60s beach clubs and long stretches of free beach. Ristorante Emilia has been the standout lunch spot here since 1950, serving up their signature spaghetti with mussels prised by hand every morning from the nearby rocks. In Sirolo, San Michele Relais & Spahas doubles from €108, and Camping Village Internazionale has cabins from about €100
Gargano, Puglia
A cove on the Gargano peninsula. Photograph: Katie McKnoulty
While southern Puglia’s beaches are at the top of many travellers’ bucket lists, the rugged Gargano peninsula, which juts out from northern Puglia into the Adriatic, is far less known. Part of Gargano national park, it’s full of rocky coves, quiet bays and long pebbled beaches framed by olive groves.
Portogreco, a tiny cove and popular free beach, is framed by sea caves and rocks perfect for high diving, and offers fantastic snorkelling in the clear waters.
Vignanotica is a long, skinny pebble beach, backed by a sheer limestone cliff that mercifully shades the shoreline by late afternoon in summer.
Make the scenic trip an hour north along the coast for lunch at Al Trabucco da Mimìin Peschici for fresh seafood caught and served on a traditional wooden fishing platform. Order the mixed seafood grill to sample it all. HMO Glamping in Vignanoticahas tents from about €110, or Baia delle Zagare resort in Mattinata has doubles from €150
Ponza, Lazio
Some of Ponza’s best swimming spots are only accessible by boat. Photograph: Katie McKnoulty
A favourite summer escape for Romans, the island of Ponza sits a short ferry ride from mainland Lazio. Pastel houses cluster around a port town unchanged by time. The island opens up into wild coves and quiet swimming spots, the best ones accessible only by boat.
Frontone, the island’s longest beach, is reached by water taxi from Ponza. While some of the shoreline is occupied by beach clubs, there’s still plenty of free beach, and savvy locals know to perch on the rocks at the southern end.
Some of Ponza’s most spectacular swimming spots, such as Chiaia di Luna – a crescent-shaped cove surrounded by soaring orange cliffs – are accessible only from the water, so hiring a dinghy or a captained boat is part of the experience.
Take lunch at Ristoro da Gerardo, which has the best views over Frontone from its rustic raffia-shaded terrace. The homestyle menu offers aubergine parmigiana alongside Ponzese octopus stew, and dessert is figs picked onsite. Guests are invited to stay for a post-lunch nap on loungers shaded by trees. Hotel Chiaia di Luna has doubles from €115
Pantelleria, Sicily
There are no sandy beaches on the volcanic island of Pantelleria. Photograph: Katie McKnoulty
Closer to Tunisia than Sicily, this slow-paced island feels completely removed from mainland Italy and offers full immersion in the elements. Without a single sandy beach, visitors and locals lay down their towels on the flat volcanic rocks and dive into the clear blue water, amid arid, wind-battered landscapes.
Balata dei Turchi is a secluded bay of volcanic rock at the wilder southern end of the island that is ideal for snorkelling, with clean waters and submerged rocks teeming with bright coral and fish. Nearby at Nikà, underwater thermal springs bubble up out of the sea while you swim.
Laghetto delle Ondine lies at the end of a short hike across otherworldly volcanic terrain, where waves crash against the walls of calm rock pools the size of swimming pools.
At sunset, snag an outdoor table at Dispensa Pantesca in Scauri for an antipasto plate of local specialities, including Pantelleria’s aromatic capers. Or book a more formal dinner in the courtyard next door at sister restaurant La Nicchia. Stay in traditional dammusi (houses made from volcanic stone) at Pantelleria Dream Resort near Kamma from €170, or at Dammuso Biancolilla near Scauri from €140
Elba, Tuscany
The island of Elba has 90 miles of coastline. Photograph: Katie McKnoulty
Part of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba lies 35 miles (55km) east of Corsica, with similarly clear waters and mountainous terrain. Still relatively under the radar outside Italy, the island has 90 miles of coastline, scattered with wild bays and tiny beaches. It’s larger than many visitors expect, so where you base yourself makes all the difference.
Nisporto is a quiet, unspoilt bay enclosed by pine-covered hills at the end of a winding road, giving it a secluded feel, even in summer. The flat sand-and-pebble beach and the gentle waves make it perfect for families with kids. The transparent waters and seabeds rich in marine life are great for snorkelling, or rent a pedalo or canoe to explore the coastline beyond.
In Portoferraio, book dinner at Teatro Bistro for the spectacular views from the terrace, and order the spaghetti with cured mullet bottarga, a Tuscan coastal delicacy. In Nisporto, Residence La Cota Quintahas apartments from about €80 a night (three-night minimum stay) or Sole e Mare camping village has bungalows from €400 a week for two
Maremma, Tuscany
An untouched beach near Grosseto. Photograph: Katie McKnoulty
Just outside the walled city of Grosseto, the regional park of Maremma stretches from the Uccellina mountains to the Tyrrhenian Sea, protecting one of Italy’s most untouched coastlines.
The park’s wild sandy beaches are completely devoid of umbrellas, bars and beach clubs, the only structures being improvised driftwood forts providing refuge from the sun.
Marina di Alberese is the most accessible beach inside the park, the shoreline stretching for miles. Traipse along the coast to quieter Collelungo, or reach it on foot or bike via trails within the lush park.
Easy cycle paths, with bikes and e-bikes readily available to rent, lead through the park from Grosseto to the beaches, passing herds of horned Maremma cows and wild horses.
Stop for a tasting plate of cheeses made at dairy La Maremmana. Their speciality is the buffalo mozzarella, and they’ll pack up extras to take away for a picnic at the beach. Agriturismo il Melograno di Banditellain Alberese has doubles from €120 B&B
Major airlines cancelled 34 flights with 272 more delayed on Sunday, April 26, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at several different airports
Flights across Australia and New Zealand were cancelled (Image: Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded after 34 flights were cancelled and a further 272 delayed across the region.
Widespread disruption was recorded throughout aviation networks across Australia and New Zealand on Sunday,April 26.
Travellers were left stuck at major airports, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch.
Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia were responsible for the bulk of the cancellations, though the knock-on effect was felt throughout the broader travel network.
New Zealand saw numerous flights fail to operate, while Australian passengers endured lengthy hold-ups, reports the Express.
Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport bore the brunt of the delays, with 84 flights failing to depart or arrive on time.
A further seven flights from the Victoria airport were also axed throughout the day, all of which belonged to either Virgin Australia or Jetstar.
As Australia’s busiest airport, Sydney recorded the highest number of cancellations, with 10 flights failing to take off and leaving scores of passengers stranded.
A further 69 flights at the airport also faced significant delays.
Brisbane was similarly affected, with 62 flights experiencing considerable hold-ups and lengthy waiting times.
Across New Zealand, Auckland was hit with eight cancelled flights and 44 delays, with the disruption particularly affecting long-haul connecting services from the country.
Wellington experienced fewer disruptions overall, though four flights were still cancelled.
The travel disruption comes amid mounting concerns surrounding air travel as a result of the ongoing Middle East conflict and rising fuel costs.
While this is not considered the cause of the current chaos, New Zealand airlines have spoken out about the impact that soaring energy prices are having on the industry.
On April 7, Air New Zealand announced that it would reduce flights throughout May and June and increase ticket prices, noting it had been amongst the first carriers to introduce widespread fare hikes when the conflict erupted.
Passengers affected by the travel disruption have been advised to get in touch with their airlines to discuss compensation.
Four years ago, Robert Brovdi was more comfortable in auction houses like Christie’s than filthy trenches. A well-off grain dealer in those days, with a sideline as an art collector, fragments of his pre-war life survive in the paintings and sculptures by Ukrainian artists dotted around the bunker. They’re displayed beside missile casings and captured drones. He’s an ethnic Hungarian, from Uzhgorod in western Ukraine, and best known by his military call sign, Magyar. Clean-shaven before the war, he now wears a long ginger and grey-speckled beard.
Myleene Klass fronts the new Freemans Holiday Shop campaignCredit: Freemans/Roger WeberMyleene’s white bikini matches the one she wore in the I’m A Celebrity jungle showerCredit: Freemans/Roger WeberMyleene in the shower in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, 20 years agoCredit: Rex
The design is for Freemans.com — after her first range for them sold out last year.
Myleene first wore her most famous look during a stint on the ITV1 show in 2006, on which she was a runner–up behind winner Matt Willis, 42.
She then returned to the jungle to compete in 2023’s first all-stars series, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, which she won.
She previously said she had no idea the 2006 swimwear — later auctioned for £7,500 for charity — would cause a stir and bought it in a rush before the show.
She admitted last year: “I remember one of the show’s producers looking at my bikinis in the hotel before I went to camp.
“One was covered in stripes, and they said, ‘We’ll have to stop at the shops as that’s probably going to strobe on camera’.
“I ran into the shop en route to the jungle and asked the shop assistant for the plainest bikini she had. Best $40 I ever spent!”
Myleene’s first range for Freemans sold out last yearCredit: Freemans/Roger WeberThe beauty’s famous white bikini cost her just $40Credit: Freemans/Roger WeberStar Myleene won I’m A Celebrity… South Africa’s first all-stars series in 2023Credit: Freemans/Roger Weber
HOUSTON — The Lakers still have control of this first-round series, even after the blow they took from the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.
As ugly as their 115-96 loss was, the Lakers still hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.
All the Lakers have to do is win Game 5 on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena and they will advance to the second round.
But they will have to play better than they did in Game 4.
LeBron James, who played a stellar 45 minutes during the Lakers’ overtime win Friday night, wasn’t as spry. He had just 10 points, reaching double figures on a floater with 8:37 left and the Lakers down 26.
He was just two for nine from the field and he had eight turnovers. James also had nine assists and became the first player in NBA history to record 3,000 field goals in the playoffs.
Luke Kennard was quiet with seven points, and Marcus Smart had nine, both on three-for-eight shooting. Rui Hachimura had 13 points on six-for-10 shooting.
The bigger concern was the Lakers’ inability to take care of the ball. They turned it over 24 times, their most in the series, though they’ve had 20 or more in three of the four games.
All of Houston’s starters scored in double figures. Amen Thompson had 23 points and seven assists, and Alperen Sengen finished with 19 points and six rebounds.
When the Lakers went down by 17 points in the third quarter on a Thompson basket that was part of Houston’s 12-4 run to open the frame, Lakers coach JJ Redick called a timeout to allow his players to collect themselves.
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket over Houston’s Reed Sheppard, left, and Alperen Sengun during the first half Sunday.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
It didn’t help, as the Lakers’ deficit swelled to 26 points.
It didn’t get better for the Lakers later in the quarter when Deandre Ayton was ejected because of a flagrant foul for his left elbow striking Sengun on the side of the head.
Ayton was having one of his best games in the playoffs, bouncing back from two quiet efforts to post 19 points and 10 rebounds before he was ejected with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
Austin Reaves shot before the game in an attempt to play for the first time since being injured April 2 at Oklahoma City, and again he was downgraded from questionable to out because of a left oblique muscle strain.
In the end, the Lakers saw no need to rush Reaves back considering how they had dominated the series. Two days off before Game 5 will give Reaves more time to get healthy.
“It’s fair to consider everything,” Redick said. “Austin and I had a conversation yesterday for a long time, and I think ultimately the athlete has to feel confidence, and that’s always the final hurdle coming back from an injury, is the psychological component of it.”
For the Rockets, Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series because of a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle.
Lakers point guard Luka Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) continues to work out on the court, but there’s no timetable for his return.
“[He] was able to move a little bit today on the court, which, you know, most of the stuff had been stand-still,” Redick said. “So he’s progressing, but no update on any timeline or anything like that.”
